FOXBORO – As a quarterback at Eastern Illinois, it’s only natural that Jimmy Garoppolo has often been mentioned in the same breath as Tony Romo.

Now he’s going to be keeping company with Tom Brady.

Strike up the Ryan Mallett trade rumors.

The Patriots selected Garoppolo, who played at the same college that sent Romo on to the Dallas Cowboys, in the second round (62nd overall) of the NFL Draft on Friday night.

Garoppolo became the fifth quarterback selected in the draft, following Blake Bortles (third overall to Jacksonville), Johnny Manziel (Cleveland, first round), Teddy Bridgewater (Minnesota, first round) and Derek Carr (Oakland, earlier in the second round).

Six-foot-2 and 226 pounds, Garoppolo threw for 13,156 yards over his college career with 118 touchdowns and 51 interceptions, while rushing for another eight scores.

Garoppolo won the Walter Payton Award (FCS Heisman Trophy) in 2013, a year in which he threw for 5,050 yards and 53 touchdowns with nine interceptions while throwing 568 times in 14 games. He also ran for four TDs last season.

Garoppolo arrives in New England at a time when Mallett, a third-round selection out of Arkansas in 2011, entering the final year of his rookie contract with Brady approaching his 37th birthday (in August).

A disappointment in his development over his three years with the Patriots, Mallett has appeared in just four games over his career, completing one pass for 17 yards.

Lindy’s Sports Pro Football Draft magazine rates Garoppolo’s arm strength as “better than adequate” and possessing “strength with a snap release to produce heat,” but is critical of his decision making (“needs to continue to improve”) and says he has a “bad habit of forcing throws in small window.”

In his NFL Draft 2014 Preview, NFL.com’s Nolan Nawrocki lauds Garoppolo’s “lightning quick release” and says he is “athletic enough to slide in the pocket and buy time with his feet while keeping his eyes downfield,” but critiques him in saying he “undershoots and often hangs the deep ball.”

The Patriots were also scheduled to pick 93rd overall (their assigned selection in the third round) Friday night.

The Pats held five picks over the final four rounds (two in the fourth, two in the sixth, one in the seventh), which begin at noon Saturday.

The Patriots kicked off their draft by selecting Florida defensive lineman Dominique Easley in the first round (29th overall) Thursday night.

While the selection of Easley could fill a need for the Patriots, he has major medical concerns, having torn up both knees in college.

Glen Farley may be reached at gfarley@enterprisenews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @GFarley_ent.